“This was an opportunity for Kirklees householders to sign up collectively and obtain a better deal or tariff from energy companies.

“Whilst this was relatively successful (over 170 households accepted their switch offer, with an average saving of £172 per year per household), it also involved significant resourcing on the part of the council, which can no longer be provided.

“It is also worth noting that this was not a co-operative set up to purchase energy.

“The council is continuing to investigate future energy saving initiatives and opportunities that will help save money for Kirklees householders, but in the meantime, we would suggest that householders interested in switching their energy supplier visit the Ofgem ‘Go energy Shopping’ website www.goenergyshopping.co.uk/en-gb or the Energy Saving Advice Service www.energysavingtrust.org.uk (or call 0300 123 1234 - national rate call).”